IE cannot download .pdf, .doc, .xls from HTTPS site

[ChiefDND]

Hello,

I am getting error messages when trying to view .doc, .xls and .pdf files
via an HTTPS web site. I am using IE 6 SP1. If I change, enable/check, the
Advanced setting ‘Do not save encrypted pages to disk’ I can then
download/view the pages in question. Problem is other HTTPS site requires
the setting to be disabled/unchecked. Can the HTTPS site IIS5, Windows 2000
servers be changed so the IE settings do not have to be changed for each site?

Thanks,

Chie...@hotmail.com

[David Wang [Msft]]

Sorry, this is a client-side issue. I am not aware of a server-side
solution.

You will notice that regardless of the "Do not save encrypted pages to disk"
setting, IE actually downloads the resource from IIS. However, if it is over
SSL and the setting is disabled/unchecked, IE will refuse to save it and
throw the download away.

Thus, IIS actually successfully sent the file as download over SSL already.
If the client chooses to decline and delete the file, there is nothing IIS
can do... client/server networking works like this -- client and server are
independent agents.

--
//David
IIS
http://blogs.msdn.com/David.Wang
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
//
"ChiefDND" <Chie...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C4EF6F28-1BC6-4F6B...@microsoft.com...

[ChiefDND]

Hello,

Thanks for responding so quickly. I am not so sure that this is just a
client side issue. See MS KB316431 refers to removing the no-cache setting
in the headers.

I have also seen messages referring to the latest round of security patches
as causing this problem.

Server Win 2000 IIS5 PKI, SSL
IE 6.0 SP1

[David Wang [Msft]]

Ok, I clarify - there is no IIS issue. There is server-side user
misconfiguration issue shown by 316431, or client-side behavior of saving
encrypted pages.

If you think KB316431 applies in your situation, then feel free to fix your
server configuration. IIS does not send those headers on its own, so either:
1. You configured IIS to send that response header
2. You are running an application that sends that response header (the
example shows how to do this with ASP page)

--
//David
IIS
http://blogs.msdn.com/David.Wang
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
//
"ChiefDND" <Chie...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:C4E24AC0-DA45-4C23...@microsoft.com...

[ChiefDND]

Hello,

Thanks for the response and the guidence, I am looking into the firewall
issue as mentioned in the same KB More Information section.

Just trying to establish a standard configuration.

Some times we just need to step away for the keyboard.

Thanks again

Chief

[porsrari]

hi all,

i have the same problem here. i am using windows 2k advanced server and the
browser resides on the server is IE 5.01 SP4. i tried to execute a web
application whereby it will throw out the download box to select whether to
open or save. when i clicked on the "Save" button, i'll get the error message
"Internet Explorer cannot download test.xls from <webserver>". i tried it
several times and it doesnt seems to be able to download the excel file.

what's wrong???

please help! thanks!

cheers,
von

[Andrew Hayes]

Revisiting this thread as it's a problem that has recently cropped up with
Win2K3 SP2 and IE7.

We have a web server that creates XLS documents for users to download, all
the IE versions after 6 SP1 fail to download the file over HTTPS.

Yes, yes. It's a possible server-side misconfiguration problem... But that's
the way that IIS works out of the box for R2 and for new installs of IE7.

Anyhow, I use this C# code to transmit the XLS document to the browser after
it has been created on the server -

Response.ClearHeader();
Response.ClearContent();
Response.Clear();
Response.ContentType = "text/text";
Response.AddHeader( "Content-Disposition", "inline; filename =" + FileName );
Response.AddHeader( "Content-Length", FileSize.ToString() );
Response.BinaryWrite(Buffer);
Response.Buffer = true;
Response.Flush();
Response.Clear();
Response.End();

The above code correctly shows the Download file dialog, or opens the Excel
document in a window (depending on the client settings), so long as the user
connects to the website via HTTP.

As soon as they try using HTTPS they get the OP's error, but before they
have even downloaded the file. There is no download prompt.

What I am trying to avoid is having users mess about with their IE settings
just to download a few Excel documents, especially since the above code works
fine for PDF documents over HTTPS (I'm talking about over 10,000 users here
from over 100 companies - and the only complaints are from IE users).

Yes, the site they are accessing is in their IE Trusted Zone.

In the interest of bettering customer relations (mine specificially), I have
no problem with making whatever changes I need to make to the IIS servers to
get XLS downloads over HTTPS to work every time, regardless of browser
settings or versions. So far, nothing I've tried has worked.

If someone would be so kind as to spell out what IIS settings should be
changed, and exactly what C# code I should be using, then I would be very
grateful and you'd earn a lot of kudos.

[Nick]

We are having the same problem. Has anyone figured out a server side solution?

THanks,
Nick

[mshahcaci]

Hi,

Did you get aresolution to this problem. I am in desperate need of an answer
to this problem as I ahve 100's of clients waiting for this to work.

Thx
M

[Steve]

We are also experiencing the same problem. Did anyone find a solution?

Regards
Steve

[Asem]

I am Having the same problem.
It is resolved by enabling the "Do not save Encrypted pages" feature in the
IE advanced settings. We don't have a problem in other browsers such as
firefox and chrome. But I don't want to go and configure every single machine
in our company to comply with the new settings (10000 users). There has to be
another way.

Any suggestion on how to fix it, either by code or by modifying the server
configuration?

[Steve]

Another option is to tell your users to hold down the ctrl key (to bypass the
popup blocker).

Neither solution is ideal - Microsoft could you please sort it out!